This Body I Testify From is a Binoculars Through Which You Watch

This Body I Testify From is a Binoculars Through Which You Watch

In June of 2019 I headed out to Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI, to take a Michael deMeng workshop called Sanctum of the Forgotten Tune. Here is the course description: "One thing I have noticed about musical instruments is that the old life never really leaves them. The brass, the mahogany, and ivory, though marked, still have a voice … though perhaps it is not a voice that can be heard, but rather seen. In this class, you will bring old discarded instruments, and we will retune them … not to play music … but so that they speak as a visual art form. Using the process of assemblage you will alter and/or combine broken violins, piano keys, trumpets, etc., and give them a new beginning as a shrine or sculpture. Music to your eyes. Extra Credit: You get bonus points if your sanctum is able to make noise!!!"

At home before I left I gathered some supplies to take to Mineral Point.

Some assembly was required

Here is what I got accomplished at the workshop:

Michael deMeng added his drawing talents to the effort

 

This was as far as I got at the workshop

Now almost a year has gone by and because of the current worldwide situation I find I had time on my hands. I got the partially done piece out of my basement and went to work. I added some parts, secured everything, and then painted, painted, painted. 

 

And, thus we have This Body I Testify From is a Binoculars Through Which You Watch. 

This piece is a big girl...72"H x 22"W x 9"D.

The title for this piece comes from a poem by Ilya Kaminsky called In Bombardment, Galya.

Stood on the Curbstone of the World

Stood on the Curbstone of the World

I decided to start this project with this goal in mind: to continue to educate myself about layers...and to do it with multiple depths to the work. It started with a Philadelphia Cream Cheese box, a cabinet card, a piece of paper and this really cool Dang! bottle cap (which was one of the first things to go).

I papered up the insides of the box with some maps of Philadelphia.

Then I spent the day adding and subtracting. After that, it was the fun part--painting.

This text ripped out of a book gave me the title.

The cabinet card went through some changes including the face...which led me to this image.

Thus we have...Stood on the Curbstone of the World.

Michael deMeng Social Distancing Assemblage Challenge #1

Michael deMeng Social Distancing Assemblage Challenge #1

Found Object Flora

Michael deMeng posted "Kim Gabriel recently posted some her crazy found object flora (amazing). So it seem like an appropriate challenge for everyone, given that Spring has sprung (hey you could even use springs). So make something that grows from the earth...that doesn't actually grow from the earth. Here's one that I made...this is from a tripod."

So I got to work by heading down into the basement stash of assemblage crap to find what I thought I would need to get started. 

Here are the results of the assemblage portion of the work. 

Cocktail forks, nails and a piece of jewelry made the bloom

I had to decide how to attach the base of the plant to the "ground" and I selected what is essentially papier mache. 

 

So thus we have...Tulipa Furca Vos.